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| BBQs
Go High Tech |
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| Where
no grill has gone before. |
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By Mark Greer
Remember gathering with family around
the campfire as a child to cook hot dogs,
roast marshmallows and tell stories? Well,
now you and your family can relive those
simple joys—and only for a few thousand
dollars.
In the last few years, outdoor firepits,
grills and kitchens—full kitchens
in the backyard, complete with appliances—have
grown in both popularity and amenities.
Many cost just a few hundred dollars,
but some of the high-end models can run
anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 and "do
everything but talk to you," says
Donna Myers, barbecue spokeswoman for
the Arlington, Va.-based Hearth, Patio
and Barbecue Association.
These souped up outdoor kitchens, along
with the latest and greatest products
in outdoor entertaining, were on display
for a crowd of 11,000 at the annual HPBA
expo held recently in Nashville.
Of course, the bells and whistles are
what make the newest models so stunning,
regardless of price. According to Myers,
one-third of all grills on the market
now have side-burners, so you can do anything
from boil a pot of water to cook corn,
pasta, barbecue sauce or beans. It has
added a whole cooking area to the grill.
These grills also come with tons of storage
space: Cabinets, cooking tools and condiment
shelves keep things handy so people aren’t
constantly running inside to grab more
food.
Companies have even created grills that
do the thinking for you. One has blinking
lights that shine when food has cooked
long enough. Others possess an interior
light that turns on when you open the
grill’s lid. Heat-N-Glo, a Lakeview,
Minn.-based distributor of many outdoor
products, including the world’s first
outdoor gas fireplace and first indoor/outdoor
fireplace, broke new ground at the expo
with a "temperature probe,"
a stainless steel pin attached to the
grill that you can insert into food. The
grill will beep when the food is cooked
to perfection. Still other grills at the
exposition won support with their auto-ignite
feature, which turns on just like a kitchen
stove.
Those looking to turn up the heat can
try a new line that combines charcoal
and gas cooking styles with powerful infrared
burners in a dual fuel grill. Appearing
as small laser beams that run along the
back of the grill, the infrared burners
cook food at a blistering 1600 degrees
and are perfect for searing steaks, Myers
says.
As more backyards resemble kitchens, the
sky is the limit for grilling and cooking
capabilities—from refrigerators with
built-in grills to grill islands with
dishwashers, icemakers and compactors,
says Myers, a barbecuing aficionado with
more than 30 years’ experience—and
about 40 grills in her own backyard. "Some
[built-in grills] have gone so far as
to have roof areas and drop down televisions."
Why not? With these backyard barbecue
options, you will have parties so good,
you will never need to go inside. |
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